RUTHLESS NADAL SETS UP SEMI-FINAL SHOWDOWN
RAFAEL NADAL kept up his end of the bargain in trying to set up a US Open semi-final against Roger Federer when he last night crushed the overmatched Russian teenager Andrey Rublev. Nadal took just 96 minutes to beat the 19 year-old 6-1 6-2 6-2, again improving on his previous round. Overnight Federer was trying to ensure what would be their first meeting in New York when he tackled Juan Martin Del Potro in the last quarter-final. To think that in America they were worried about this US Open and its broad appeal, suffering from star absences which included Serena Williams. Not only have Nadal and Federer survived deep into the tournament but the host nation was last night on the verge of monopolising the women’s singles. Coco Vandeweghe became the third American woman to make the last four when she knocked out No 1 seed Karolina Pliskova 7-6 6-3, joining Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens in going to the brink of the final. Early this morning Madison Keys was taking on Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi to try to guarantee a home winner of the tournament, and make it the first time since Wimbledon 1985 that all four Grand Slam finalists came from the US, and the first time at Flushing Meadows since 1981. Either way it is a very positive development for American tennis, which for too long has been relying on the Williams sisters propping up a cast of underachievers. Vandeweghe is only ranked 22 but has had a strong year in the majors, reaching the semi-final in Australia and last eight at Wimbledon. She looks to have profited from her coaching relationship with Pat Cash, and will play either Keys or Kanepi. The US have been short of star men since the retirement of Andy Roddick, although there are signs of a revival on the male side, too. Vandeweghe slightly made up for the quarter-final defeat of Sam Querrey, who went down in four sets to Kevin Anderson. The South African has a semi-final against No 12 seed Pablo Carreno-Busta.